ORGANIC SCIENCE CLUSTER

$ 8,660,000 Invested in Organic Research

September 1st 2010, the Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Gerry Ritz announced a funding of $6.5 million, matched by $2.2 million from industry partners to establish Canada’s Organic Science Cluster (OSC).

The funding, awarded through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Growing Forward Program, is meant to support growth in the organic sector by strengthening the science behind organic agriculture in Canada.

The OSC:
- involves 80 lead and collaborating scientists, the longest standing and leading scientists in organic agriculture, who will be working alongside other scientists who are leaders in their respective disciplines;

- will run until March 2013, spans the country with activities in nine provinces, engaging all major agricultural universities in Canada and enlisting the collaboration of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists;

- involvestwenty industry partners, representing many aspects of the organic sector across the country, that will contribute $2.2 million in matching funds to support research activities;

The Organic Science Cluster will serve to strengthen the capacity and market for domestic organic production while supporting ecologically sound farming practices.
Regular updates will be posted on OACC website.